02 Dec 2020

Protest Song Of The Week: ‘We Ain’t Free’ By Boscoe

Boscoe is like a much more politically militant Earth Wind and Fire, like if the band collaborated with the Last Poets or Watts Prophets. In fact, both Boscoe and Earth Wind and Fire are both from Chicago’s South Side. As the Numero Group label describes, during the early 1970s, the

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25 Nov 2020

Protest Song Of The Week: ‘Atlantic’ By Haviah Mighty

America’s issues with systemic racism are partly due to a failure to recognize past atrocities. This reality is highlighted in “Atlantic,” the new tune by acclaimed Canadian rapper Haviah Mighty.

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11 Nov 2020

Protest Song Of The Week: ‘Don’t (Just) Vote’ By Cass McCombs

For this new song, ‘Don’t (Just) Vote,’ the message is clear: Vote, yes, but when you do, imagine the world you would like to see, beyond what appears on your ballot. Harness your imagination and justice becomes inevitable.”

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07 Oct 2020

Protest Song Of The Week: ‘Amendment 13 (Homo Detritus) By Jesse Jett

Originally published at Ongoing History of Protest Songs Between COVID-19 and the current political climate, there is a lot to make you frustrated and anxious. We all need outlets to cope. If you are a musician, it is only natural that your outlet will involve creating music. Singer and rapper

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26 Aug 2020

Protest Song Of The Week: ‘Over Alameda’ By Justin Townes Earle

The following was originally posted at Ongoing History Of Protest Songs. Acclaimed singer-songwriter Justin Townes Earle tragically died on August 20, 2020, at the age of 38 years old. The son of influential alt-country artist Steve Earle, like his father he was able to establish a reputation as a gifted

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19 Aug 2020

Protest Song Of The Week: ‘Freedom Groove’ By Keleketla!

Toyi toyi was the dance of the Mau Mau people in Kenya, as they fought against British colonialism. The dance was embraced by the South Africa anti-apartheid movement as a nonviolent means of challenging systems of oppression.

The collaborative music project “Keleketla!” embraces the call-and response tradition of toyi toyi, as well as the way music and politics can feed off each other to produce a transcendent experience.

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12 Aug 2020

Protest Song Of The Week: ‘Lockdown’ (Remix) By Anderson .Paak (Ft. JID, Noname & Jay Rock)

Anderson .Paak composed the tune based on his own experience attending Black Lives Matter protests in the wake of the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless others at the hand of police officers. He created a sad reminder that despite any progress there is still a long way to go for justice.

The recently released remixed version features additional poignant verses from JID, Noname, and Jay Rock.

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08 Jul 2020

Protest Song Of The Week: ‘All Tomorrow Carry’ By Special Interest

The following was originally published at Ongoing History Of Protest Songs. The New Orleans punk band released their sophomore album “The Passion Of,” which the group describes as “a precise and deranged vision of punk, an apocalyptic celebration, a step forward into a perverse and uncertain landscape.” As the band’s lyricist

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17 Jun 2020

Protest Song Of The Week: ‘Walking In The Snow’ By Run The Jewels

The most powerful protest music can perfectly encapsulate the moments and moods being experienced by society. At times, it can even come across as eerily prophetic.

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03 Jun 2020

Protest Song Of The Week: ‘I Can’t Breathe’ By Chloë Nixon

The post was originally published at Ongoing History Of Protest Songs. On May 25, George Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis by a white police officer who placed his knee on Floyd’s neck. He uttered the words, “I can’t breathe.” Three other police officers served as accomplices to the murder. In

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